The latest on California politics and government

February 22, 2011

Gov. Jerry Brown this morning appointed a U.S. Department of Justice lawyer as chairwoman of the Fair Political Practices Commission and suggested in another appointment that the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board is not among the agencies he is considering eliminating.

Ann Ravel, 61, of Los Gatos, was appointed chairwoman of the watchdog agency, replacing Dan Schnur. Ravel has been deputy assistant attorney general for torts and consumer litigation in the Department of Justice's civil division since 2009. She was previously county counsel in Santa Clara County.

Brown appointed Robert Dresser, 69, of Sacramento, chairman of the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. He has been enforcement counsel for the Contractors State License Board since 2007 and was previously general counsel of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

Like Brown, Both Ravel and Dresser are Democrats. The pay for each position is $132,179 a year.

Brown also filled an expired position on the Fair Political Practices Commission, appointing Republican Sean Eskovitz, 40, of Santa Monica. Eskovitz, a lawyer, was an assistant United States attorney in New York from 1999 to 2003.